The Stranger: A gripping story of secrets and lies for fans of The Beekeeper's Promise

(Paperback)

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Description

Reminiscent of Atonement and Sadie Jones's The Uninvited Guests, Riordan tells a devastating story of a house of secrets where everyone is guilty of something 1940, Cornwall, England. Penhallow Hall shelters a handful of Land Girls, sent to the coast to avoid the horrors of London's Blitz. But the beautiful, arrogant Diana Devlin, impatient with the sleepy village and its placid residents, can't resist the temptation to stir up long-buried secrets. When a young woman's body is found lying broken on the shore, the promised safety of the Hall is shattered. Was it simply a tragic accident, or did mischief end in murder

Reviews

Dark, atmospheric and crackling with period intrigue. The perfect summer read -- Rachel Rhys, author of Richard & Judy Book Club pick Dangerous Crossing
As buried secrets and lies unravel, tension begins to mount in this atmospheric and compelling story * Female First *
Heady with atmosphere, simmering with tension, this novel had me captivated. When I wasn't reading, I was thinking about it, when I was reading, I couldn't think about anything else! -- Jenny Ashcroft
With excellent characters, the novel revels in the magical backdrop of Cornwall, with shades of du Maurier * Daily Mail *
Richly textured, with a clever and deeply satisfying conclusion, the influence of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca infuses the The Stranger . . . * Sunday Express *
Simmers with a forbidding unease that makes it impossible to put down. Creepy and evocative, the mystery builds to a shocking end. Impressive * Heat *
Everyone loves unravelling a good mystery and armchair sleuths won't be disappointed with The Stranger * Yours Magazine *
An evocative whodunnit . . . an absorbing, heart-wrenching romance. This stunning tale about a house of secrets where everyone is guilty of something is both immersive and deeply atmospheric * Fabulous Magazine *
With its vivid Cornwall setting and a house full of shadows, The Stranger has echoes of Daphne Du Maurier but its riveting in its own right * Red Magazine *
A beautifully written tale of family secrets, loves and losses, set against the magical Cornish coastline. I loved it -- Amanda Jennings
A fabulous twisting tale, so beautifully written that the pages practically turned themselves. I couldn't put it down -- Liz Fenwick
A beautiful and intriguing page-turner, where the secrets of the past cast long shadows. Cornwall springs to life in vivid colour -- Dinah Jefferies
Beautifully written and unputdownable. I loved it -- Katie Fforde
An enthralling tale of secrets, the twists and turns will have you hooked to the very last breathtaking page -- Jane Bailey, author of What Was Rescued
An atmospheric whodunit set in the Second World War * The Sunday Post *
A beautifully woven, immersive story that completely transported me -- Judith Kinghorn
With such vivid, mysterious characters and an atmospheric setting, the echoes of Du Maurier's Cornwall are on every page. Brilliant! -- Emylia Hall
A wonderful, gripping, beautifully written book. From the first page, I didn't want to put it down - and by the second half I literally couldn't put it down -- Katherine Webb
Beautiful and haunting, you'll struggle to put down this mysterious tale * Take a Break *
Wonderfully atmospheric and utterly engrossing. I hardly moved until I had read to the very last word -- AJ Pearce author of * Dear Mrs Bird *
Take an isolated house, family secrets, a divine Cornish setting, the tensions of war and you have all the ingredients for a tale where the pages take on a life of their own. The Stranger is wound tight as a clock, ticking down the days leading up to the disappearance of a young woman. It will stay with you long after the last breathtaking pages turn -- Kate Lord Brown
So beguiling that I truly didn't want it to end. A captivating novel that pulls you into another time and place -- Penny Parkes
The novel is cinematic, and the vividness of the Cornish landscape and its history of smugglers and pirates add to its charm. An engaging page-turner with a surprising twist at the end * The Lady *
Praise for The Girl in the Photograph * - *
Rich and atmospheric, like Rebecca this novel casts an enduring spell * Rachel Hore, Sunday Times bestselling author *
Full of slow-burning tension * Essentials *
A sweeping saga of secrets and ghosts * Good Housekeeping *
A well executed, brooding, creepy atmosphere * Sunday Mirror *
A prickly story full of tension * Sunday Express *

Author Bio

Kate Riordan is a writer and journalist. She is an avid reader of Daphne du Maurier and Agatha Christie, both of whom have influenced her writing. She lives in the Cotswolds, where she writes full-time. Her previous novels include The Girl In The Photograph, The Shadow Hour, The Stranger and The Heatwave, which was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick. Summer Fever is her fifth novel.